Ghana’s Black Queens have been handed a challenging route in their bid to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil after being drawn against Ecuador, Uzbekistan and Papua New Guinea in the play-off tournament.
The draw, held on Thursday, August 20, 2026, gives Ghana another opportunity to keep its World Cup dream alive after the Black Queens missed out on automatic qualification.
Ghana secured their place in the play-off tournament after overcoming Côte d’Ivoire 2-1, earning the chance to fight for one of the remaining places at the global showpiece.
The Black Queens will begin their campaign against Ecuador on Matchday One before taking on Uzbekistan on Matchday Two. They will conclude the preliminary phase against Papua New Guinea on Matchday Three.
The preliminary phase of the play-off tournament is scheduled for November 24 to December 5, 2026, with Ghana needing a strong run of results to progress to the next stage.
The draw presents the Black Queens with a difficult but achievable task. With three matches standing between Ghana and the next stage, every point will be crucial.
The team will be hoping to build on the momentum from their victory over Côte d’Ivoire and produce another determined performance when the play-off tournament begins in November.
Ghana’s path to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup may no longer be the straightforward route, but the door remains open. The Black Queens now have three hurdles to clear, Ecuador, Uzbekistan and Papua New Guinea, in their pursuit of a place on the world stage.
By: Victoria Kwofie
